Microbewiki:''Streptoccus mutans'' and Dental Caries

h1 PROFILES IN BACTERIOLOGY:

h2 What is ~~Streptococcus mutans~~?

Contents

[Classification]

[S. mutans and dental caries]

[Biofilm]

[S. mutans and early childhood caries]

[References]

image_gram stain

Gram Stain of ~~Streptoccus mutans~~. CDC/Dr. Richard Facklam. 1975.

h2 ~~Streptococcus mutans~~ is a Gram positive streptococcus bacterium that inhabits human teeth and has been demonstrated to be the primary bacterial cause of dental caries (commonly known as cavities). ~~S. mutans~~ is part of the normal flora or normal microbiota of humans, so the presence of ~~S. mutans ~~in the mouth does not automatically cause dental caries.

Here is a culture of ~~Streptococcus mutans~~ grown in the laboratory:

image_luria agar

Want to know more about how ~~S. mutans~~ causes cavities? See the [S. mutans and dental caries] page.

References:

• Image 1043, Public Health Image Library. CDC website.

 http://phil.cdc.gov/phil/details.asp?pid=1043

• Tortora, G. J., Funke, B. R., and Case, C. L. ~~Microbiology: An Introduction~~, Tenth edition. 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.